Signal flare composition



Patented Feb. 17, 1953 SIGNAL FLARE COMPOSITION John Vinton, SanFrancisco, Calif.

No Drawing. Application August 30, 1951, Serial No. 244,479

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a flare or fusee composition and particularlyto a composition useful in making flares or fusees which can be seenover long distances through fog.

In extremely foggy weather, conventional railroad fusees are not visiblefor long distances and it is highly desirable to have a fusee which canbe seen through the fog. Such fusees may be used for a variety ofpurposes and therefore it is desirable that such a fusee be of somecolor other than red, so that it will not be confused with standardrailroad signals. In fact, interstate commerce rules and the rules ofmany railroads prevent the use of such auxiliary fusees unless they areof a color other than red.

I have found that by making a fusee from the composition which ispresently disclosed, the fuses will have an amber colored flame and havegreat penetrating power in foggy weather or dark nights. Although theburning end of the signal is quite small, rays from the small flamereach out in such a way that from a distance the flare appears to be alarge fire. This signal is visible for miles and during foggy weather itshows up better through fog than any standard railroad flare.

The preferred composition for making my flare is as follows:

Parts by weight Strontium nitrate 47 Potassium perchlorate 10.5 SulfurLead peroxide 1.2 Sodium oxalate 10 Sawdust 1.5

This composition can be mixed together and formulated into flares orfusees in the same manner as similar composition, as is well-known tothose skilled in the art.

The shade of amber can be adjusted by varying the amount of sodiumoxalate which is used in the flare. To rearrange the formula to producea more yellow amber color one would add more sodium oxalate to the aboveformula; for every 3 /3 grams of sodium oxalate added one would add 0.9gram of potassium perchlorate and 1 gram of sulphur. The lead peroxidewould also be increased 0.1 gram for every 3 grams of SOdlllIIl oxalateadded.

To make the signal a redder amber one would reduce the amount of sodiumoxalate; the potassium perchlorate would be reduced by 0.9 gram and thesulphur by 1 gram for every 3 /3 grams reduction in the sodium oxalate.One would also reduce the lead peroxide 0.1 gram for every 3%, gramsreduction in sodium oxalate.

I claim:

A composition for use as a railroad flare comprising the homogeneousmixture of the following ingredients in substantially the proportionslisted:

Parts by weight Strontium nitrate 47 Potassium perchlorate 10.5 Sulfur10 Lead peroxide 1.2 Sodium oxalate 10 Sawdust 1.5

JOHN VINTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

The Chemistry of Powder and Explosives by T. L. Davis, volume 1, 1941,John Wiley and Sons. N. Y., pp. 64-67; volume II, 1943, pp. 456-458.(Both copies are in Division 70.)

